A 20-year-old woman was killed in a hit-and-run crash early Monday morning on Interstate 95 in Brevard County, Florida.
The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) reported that Cassi Taylor, a Civilian Corrections Assistant, lost her life shortly after midnight when her Toyota Tacoma overturned while attempting to avoid a damaged Mercedes-Benz that had struck an alligator in the roadway. Taylor was ejected from her vehicle and was subsequently struck by an unidentified vehicle that fled the scene.
According to authorities, Taylor was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. The driver of the Mercedes, a 58-year-old Canadian man, was unharmed and remained at the scene.
Investigators are actively searching for the driver of the vehicle involved in the hit-and-run. Anyone with information is urged to contact FHP or Central Florida Crimeline.
The Indian River County Sheriff's Office expressed its condolences on social media, noting Taylor had recently joined the agency and was scheduled for her official swearing-in. They requested that the community keep her family, particularly Deputy Scott Burke, in their thoughts and prayers.